Railway journal box



Oct. 17, 1933. J. A. PILCHER RAILWAY JOURNAL BOX- Filed Jan. 14, 1931INVENTORQ Patented Oct. 17, 1933 UNITED STATES RAILWAY JOURNAL BOX JohnA. Pilcher, Roanoke, Va., assignor to Western Railway Equipment Company,St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application January 14,

6 Claims.

My invention relates to an addition in the way of an improvement in theordinary well recognized journal or oil box for railway cars, or

I vehicles, for the purpose of preventing the waste, which with the oilfills the lower portion of the box, from coming in contact with thelower portion of the bearing or brass on the line where it terminatesadjacent the journal, and under certain conditions of car impact or theoperation of brakes, while the car is in motion allows an openingbetween the journal and its bearing for the waste to insert itself. Whenthe waste enters this opening it is often caught and causes a hot box.

In the drawing, Figure 1 represents a vertical, longitudinal sectionthrough the journal box on the line of the axis of the axle.

Figure 2 is a half transverse section through the line XX of Figure l,and shows the same form of the waste grab preventer 6, as is shown inFigure 1.

Figure 3 is a half transverse section through a journal box, similar toFigure 1, which shows a different form of waste grab preventer 6, whichis hinged to work down instead of up, as in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged partial section of the journal box shown inFigure 2, and shows the waste grab preventer 6, raised to its highestposition where it is out of the way ,when the end of the axle with itsjournal and collar is thrust into the inner end of the journal box.

Figure 5 is an enlarged partial section of the journal box showing thesame form of waste grab preventer 6', as shown in Fig. 3, depressed toits lowest position so as to be out of the way of the end oi the axlewith its journal and collar when they are thrust into the inner end ofthe journal box.

The numbers referring to the parts in the various figures and viewsrepresent the same parts.

The number 1 is the journal box. 2 is the journal bearing. 3 is thejournal box wedge. 4 is the journal shown by dot-and-dash lines inFigure 1, and in normal position by full lines in Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5.This same journal is marked 4' in abnormal positions in Figures 2 and 3,and shown in dot-and-dash lines. 5 is the part of the axle just insideof and-adjacent the journal 4, and which normally enters the inside endof the journal box through the dust guard '7. The dust guard 7 fitssnugly the portion of the axle 5, and floats in the dust guard pocket 8,with any movement of the axle other than in the 1931. Serial No. 508,606

(01. s0s-s9) A direction of its axis. There is sufficient room aroundthe outside periphery of the dust guard and the inside periphery of itspocket to allow this movement. The dust guard pocket 8, has an outerwall9, at the inner end ofthe journal box 1, and an inner wall 10, on theopposite side of the dust guard holding it in proper place as it moveswith the axle. The inner periphery of theopening through the dust guardpocket wall 9, is shown by the dotted line 12, in Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5.The inner periphery of the opening through the dust guard pocket wall10, is shown by the full line 11, in Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5. l I

The periphery of the portion-of the axle; at 5, Figure 1, is shownby thelines '13 in Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 and is shown well outside of thejournal line 4, and well inside of the lines 11 and 12, marking theperiphery of the openings through dust guard pocket walls adjacent theportion of the axle5, where it passes through the dust guard '7, and itswalls 9 andlO.

This description of the normal relation of parts with the drawingsrepresent the well known and much used railway journal box. The forms ofthe periphery of the openings in the dust guard Walls may beof otherforms than shown.

By observation of operation and special experiments, it has been shownthat with the impact of cars, one against the other, the inertia of theaxle and the wheels mounted on same, forces the journal 4 out of theseat in its bearing 2, and momentarily it takes the position 4', Figures2 and 3, relative to the bearing 2. This lateral movement of thejournalto its bearing is limited by the distance between the periphery of theaxle, shown by the line 13, and the inner periphery of the dust guardpocket wall 11 or 12.

A similar movement of the journal 4, relative to its bearing 2, takesplace with certain braking conditions, such as the hard application ofthe brakes on the car while the car is moving, or a combined applicationof the power and hand brakes, even with the car standing, and when thereare no inertia forces to assist in the displacement. This .relativedisplacement of the journal in the seat of its bearing, along with theinertia forces allows the waste, with which the bottom portion of thejournal box is filled, to insert itself between the journal and itsbearing. The reseating of the journal on its bearing often catches thewaste and is called a waste grab. These waste grabs very often result inthe journal running hot. It is very desirable that the waste should bekept away from the bottom of the bearing where it is adjacent thejournal so there will be no chance for the waste grab. The applicationof the waste grab preventer 6, or 6', will keep the waste normally inthe bottom portion of the journal box 1, from reaching the bottomportion of the bearing 2, under the most adverse conditions of service,and at the same time will not prevent the oil soaked waste from bearingagainst the bottom portion of the journal 4, and properly lubricatingsame.

The waste grab preventers 6 or 6 are hinged to supports 14 or 14', insuch manner that they are free to follow the lateral movement of thejournal when it is displaced in its seat in its bearing without offeringresistance to said movement that is harmful to either the waste grabpreventer 6, or the journal 4.

Figure 5 shows the support 14 attached to the journal box 1. Figures 2,3 and 4 show the supports 14, made in the form of a frame supporting theWaste grab preventer 6 or 6, one on each side of the journal 4, made sothey can be assembled outside of the journal box along with the wastegrab preventer and by proper manipulation and springing be inserted inthe box before the journal or its bearing is inserted.

The waste grab preventer 6 or 6 is held to the supports 14 or 14 by apin 15. There is wound around this hinge pin 15, springs 16, havingprojecting ends, one end reacting against the side of the box 1, and theother end bearing against the waste grab preventer 6, to keep it againstthe journal 4, in all its harmful movements relative to its seat on itsbearing 2. The waste grab preventer 6, is made so it approaches thelength of the journal 4, but enough shorter so that with the normalmovement of the axle, in the direction of its axis, relative to thejournal box, it will not be caught and injured between the axle collar17, and the inside dust guard pocket wall 10. The hinge parts of thewaste grab preventer 6, opened to receive the hinge part of the supports14, are made wide enough for the supports 14, the springs 16, and anadditional amount that will allow the waste grab preventer to move withthe journal and its axle in the direction of the axis of the axle,without binding the axle collar 17, and the supports 14, or between theshoulder formed by the portion of the axle 5, at its junction with thejournal 4, and the waste grab preventer supports 14.

' The waste grab preventer 6, is provided with an extended portion 18,which when the waste grab preventer is forced against the sides of thebox so as to be out of the way of the entering axle with its collar, itwill be held in this position, shown in Figures 4 and 5, by the springin the supports 14, even against lighter forces of the springs 16,assisted by gravity. In the normal position of the waste grab preventer6', the projection 18, will be free from the sides of the box and thesprings 16 will make the edge of the waste grab preventer follow anyabnormal lateral movement of the journal on its bearing and keep thebottom or waste holding portion of the journal box cut off from the topor bearing portion of the journal box.

The side of the waste grab preventer 6, coming next the waste, hasplaced on it prick punches or snags 19, turned in such direction thatthe rising waste if it is forced hard enough to lift the waste grabpreventer against the action of the springs 16, will catch on the snagsor prick punch projections. It will thus be prevented from easilyreaching the bearing and will help hold the waste grab preventer to theabnormal lateral movement of the journal on its bearing.

The method of placing the waste grab preventer, with the journal box,axle, bearing, wedge and waste, in service for its proper functioning isas follows:

The waste grab preventer, with its supporting rame, is put through oneof the end openings in the journal box. It is then forced to theposition up or down, as the case may be, shown in Figure 4 or 5. In thisposition the end of the axle with its journal and collar can be insertedin the journal box and the bearing and wedge can be put in place in theusual manner.

7 After this the waste grab preventer can be' forced againstthe actionof its spring supports,

away from the sides of the box. When so released the springs 16 willcause it to bear with its edge with a harmless pressure against theperiphery of the journal and wipe it free of all waste and lint as thejournal turns. The bottom portion of the journal box is then packed withoily waste in the usual manner and all is ready for service. It isreadily seen that the free movement of the edge of the waste grabpreventer and the location of this edge relative to its hinge point willprevent its being caught and damaged by any movement of the axle in thebox.

Having thus described my invention, I claim the following:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a journalbox and axle, of a brass in said box and bearing on the upper part ofthe axle, the lower part of the box forming a chamber containing oilretaining packing, and a pair of packing guards positioned one at eitherside of the axle and extending between the axle and the adjacent wall ofthe box to prevent access of packing to the brass, said guards yieldinglaterally to compensate for the relative lateral movement of the axleapproximately into contact with the box wall.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a journalbox and axle, of a brass in said box and bearing on the upper part ofthe axle, the lower part of the box forming a chamber containing oilretaining packing, and a pair of packing guards positioned one at eitherside of the axle between it and the box and separating the packing insaid chamber from the brass, said guardsbeing extensible'and retractiblein a lateral direction to maintain contact with both the axle and thebox in any operative position the parts may assume.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a journalbox and axle, of a brass in said box and bearing on the upper part ofthe axle, the lower part of the box forming a chamber containing oilretaining packing, and a guard plate positioned between one side of theaxle and the adjacent box wall, said plate being pivoted adjacent theside of the axle and capable of swinging on its pivot to maintaincontact with the other part during its relative movement toward and awayfrom said first named part.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination with a journalbox and axle, of a brass in said box'and bearing on the upper part ofthe axle, the lower part of the box forming a chamber containing oilretaining packing, and a guard plate positioned between one side of theaxle and the adjacent box wall, said plate being pivoted adjacent thebox wall and swinging on its pivot to maintain contact with the axleduring the 6. In a device of the class described, the combination withajournal box and axle, of a packing guard positioned at one side of theaxle and pivoted to swing toward the axle, and a projection carried bythe guard and adapted to have frictional contact with the box to retainthe guard in retracted position to permit of the insertion of the axlein the box.

JOHN A. PILCHER.

